Youth and the United Nations: UN Youth Flash, June 2010 Page 1 of 10 UN YOUTH FLASH Vol. 7, No.6, June 2010 WELCOME to the UN Youth Flash, a service of the United Nations Programme on Youth to keep you informed about the work of the UN on youth issues. You are encouraged to use and forward the information below to other networks. This update is prepared with input from UN offices, agencies, funds and programmes, and from youth organisations around the world. In this issue: Focus: Dialogue and mutual understanding News from the UN and other international organizations Youth in Action Grants and Scholarships Publications Calendar of Events Focus: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding “I learn from you. You learn from me. We grow together.” United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 28 May 2010 Third Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations As the launch of the International Year of Youth is quickly approaching, let us take some time to reflect on the meaning and purpose of the theme, Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. Contemplating the theme in a variety of contexts is helpful to fully grasp its significance to economic and social development as well as to the attainment of peace and security. When the General Assembly proclaimed the International Year of Youth and designated its theme in resolution 64/134, Member States reiterated the importance they place on strengthening the exchange of http://dspdintranet/siteweb/unyin/yfv7n6.htm 10/01/2012 Youth and the United Nations: UN Youth Flash, June 2010 Page 2 of 10 information and ideas to bridge social divides. HOME BACK TO TOP Intercultural With advancements in technology and the proliferation of online social networking tools, people across the world are communicating more frequently, often with less of a financial burden then in previous generations. However, increased frequency and variety of exchanges does not necessarily cultivate understanding across cultures. This begets the following questions: With all of this talking, is anyone really listening? and, How do we, as a global society of billions of people, find ways toward mutual understanding? Engaging in intercultural dialogue – an important process of exchanging views and ideas between people of varying backgrounds – is an essential step as it provides a pathway for interlocutors to attain meaningful understanding through the discovery of commonly shared values and goals. It also reminds us of the importance to create space for differing beliefs and opinions. Thoughtful and respectful dialogue often leads to critical assessments of our own views and to innovative solutions to hard-pressed problems through compromise and reconciliation. The international community, through the support of the United Nations, embraced these notions not just in principle but also in practice when it established the Alliance of Civilizations. The Alliance is a global initiative geared toward overcoming prejudices which too often lead to social discord, including discrimination and violence. The Alliance values the engagement of youth in its work as it acknowledges “youth as potential leaders to be listened to and strengthened as they seek to engage in constructive activism.” Today’s young people possess a multitude of skills, knowledge and fortitude to foster intercultural dialogue within their local communities and, with the assistance of the internet, across the globe through their partnerships and networks. Intergenerational Having considered what is traditionally thought of as bridging social divides – that is, understanding across cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, civilizations – another process referred to as intergenerational dialogue is becoming increasingly relevant today. Current demographic shifts, especially changes in family structures, are influencing social relationships and society as a whole. Both younger and older generations often find themselves at a communication impasse brought upon by new challenges and demands imposed by non-traditional dynamics. Today, in most societies, people are living longer due to improved quality of and access to healthcare, a tribute to greater knowledge and prosperity. At the same time, declining fertility rates in many countries have rendered societies considerably older, leading to the coining of the phrase the “ageing of society”. In rural societies, youth are opting more to migrate to cities in search of employment and educational opportunities, leaving behind older generations who have traditionally relied upon the younger generations for care-giving. In urban societies, new demands on older generations are increasingly emerging as young people are electing to postpone creating their own families and continuing to live with their parents, usually for financial reasons. Youth un- and under-employment have rendered many without the means to live independently. With new challenges and demands between generations, it is essential that efforts are made to mitigate the negative effects and to foster intergenerational solidarity. While governments are obliged to enact social protection policies for both the young and the old, it is also imperative that families engage in meaningful dialogue so that opportunities to share knowledge are not lost. Older people possess a wealth of knowledge passed down from previous generations as well as through individual life experiences that younger generations are sure to benefit from. Today, knowledge sharing is increasingly reciprocal in that youth have plenty of new skills that could greatly benefit the well-being of their elders, http://dspdintranet/siteweb/unyin/yfv7n6.htm 10/01/2012 Youth and the United Nations: UN Youth Flash, June 2010 Page 3 of 10 including by assisting in bridging the technological divide. Across institutions, including youth Improving the exchange of information and ideas across institutions is key to the success of any policy, programme or mandate. For youth, participation in information sharing often falls on the way side for reasons typically attributed to the misconceptions of their abilities, such as lack of intellectual development, maturity, discipline and so on. The United Nations Programme on Youth’s current online consultation aims to address this challenge with practical and innovative ways to improve dialogue between young people and institutions, specifically Government and the UN system. Some suggestions posted by youth include: organizing community meetings or events and inviting local Government and/or UN system officials for presentations or question & answer sessions; encouraging and supporting youth to engage in community service; holding peaceful demonstrations to communicate challenges faced by youth; organizing training seminars were youth can educate others on modern skills, such as new technologies and online tools; and participating in interactive radio programming on youth development topics. To read more and contribute your ideas and experiences, please join the conversation at www.facebook.com/UNyouthyear and follow the link to the group page, “What can be done to increase dialogue and mutual understanding by UN, Government and Youth?” Back to top NEWS FROM UN OFFICES (Find out more about the work of United Nations system organizations on youth issues at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/agenda.htm). CBD: The Green Wave In the context of the Year of Biodiversity, The Green Wave is a project designed to support the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the world’s international treaty that promotes the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources. The project aims to help raise awareness and educate young people – tomorrow’s leaders and citizens – on the loss of biodiversity that’s taking place across the world and the need to take action to preserve life on Earth. http://greenwave.cbd.int and http://www.facebook.com/greenwave.cbd.int ESCWA: Ministerial Roundtable, “Youth in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities” The 26th ESCWA Ministerial session (held in Beirut, 17-20 May 2010) included a Roundtable entitled “Youth in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities”. Young people expressed their concerns and proposed interventions related to six themes: education, employment, health, participation in public life, globalization and emerging issues. Ministers and delegates responded to young people’s queries and highlighted their respective countries’ endeavors in relation to youth development. Chief of the Population and Social Development Section of ESCWA called upon member countries to officially recognize youth as a distinct socio-demographic group that should be targeted in policies and plans of action. The Roundtable was concluded with the adoption of the 2010 Western Asia Declaration on Youth. [email protected]; http://www.escwa.un.org/about/gov/session26/docs.asp?ID=7&lang=e. FAO: Global Petition Against Hunger The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the global petition against http://dspdintranet/siteweb/unyin/yfv7n6.htm 10/01/2012 Youth and the United Nations: UN Youth Flash, June 2010 Page 4 of 10 hunger. To show how strong the youth voice is on wanting action, please sign the petition at www.1billionhungry.org/yunga UN-HABITAT: Norway Signs on to Support UN-HABITAT and Youth Programmes The government of Norway signed a cooperation agreement giving UN-HABITAT USD 18 million for the period covering the biennium 2010/11. UN-HABITAT